April 3, 2018

In a 100% predictable move, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan (pictured) issued an order Friday evening “barring the government from ‘interfering with or obstructing” pregnant minors’ access to abortion counseling or abortions, among other things, while a lawsuit proceeds,’” the Associated Press reported. “The order covers pregnant minors being held in federal custody after entering the country illegally.” The lawsuit was brought by the ACLU.

Judge Chutkan, who was the first judge to order the government to allow an illegal unaccompanied minor to have an abortion, also gave the ACLU the go-ahead to go forward with the lawsuit as a class action lawsuit. It is the ACLU’s position that all undocumented girls and women have a constitutional “right” to abortion.

In a statement issued Saturday, the Department of Health and Human Services said that it “strongly maintains that taxpayers are not responsible for facilitating the abortion of unaccompanied minors who entered the country illegally and are currently in the government’s care.”

It said it is “working closely with the Justice Department to review the court’s order and determine next steps,” according to the AP.